Sleigh-truck



(No Model.)

. H.l F. DERN SLEIGH TRU No. 481,818. Patented 118081891.

Nrren STATES ATENT Fries.-

HERHAN F. DERNELL, OFATHENS, NEV YORK.

SLEIGH-TRUCK.

SECXFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,818, dated December 8, 1891. Application filed September 17. 1891. Serial No. 406,027. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN F. DERNELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, Greene county, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in Sleighffrucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in sleightrucks intended more particularly for use in transporting small pieces or chips of ice from place to place, especially from the place Where the ice is harvested to a suitable dump, or from point to point in an ice-house, although the device may be employed for conveying large blocks of ice, as well as for other purposes; and the invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter set forth, embodying a truck of the character indicated, which is si rnple, inexpensive, and light and may be handled with great facility.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved truck ready to receive a load. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the body tilted to discharge the load, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section.

The truck consists, essentially, of a carrying or runner frame A, a body B, pivotally su pported thereon, and a handle C, by which the device may be pushed or pulled about as desired.

The carrying-frame is composed of two parallel side frames c c, of approximately triangular form, the lower or long side of the triangle constituting the runner portionV and an intermediate runner b, these parts being ccnnected and braced by cross-bars c d and bolted or riveted together to make a strong rigid structure. The side frames c a, as shown, are each constructed of a metal bar a', preferably angular or T-shaped in cross-section, the op- Josite ends e e of the bar being bent back upon the body portion to form the triangle, and are firmly connected to an interposed standard f. The standard f rests at its lower end upon the bar a and is secured to the web thereof, the upper end projecting slightly above the adjacent ends of the bar to form a support or bearing for one of the journals of the body B, as hereinafter described.

The body B may be of any convenient form; but as illustrated it consists of a sheet-metal receptacle closed at the sides and rear end, the forward end being open, while the bottom is inclined downward toward the rear end, the receptacle thereby increasing in depth t0- ward the closed end. As thus preferably constructed the body is'mounted aboutmidway of its length upon a cross-shaft g, the ends of which are journaled in bearings h 71, on the standards ff adjacent to the apex of the triangular side frames a c.

The body, supported as described, normally occupies the posit-ion indicated in Fig. l, ready for loading, the closed end being somewhat heavier than the forward end and counterbalancing the latter. In its normal position the body rests at the rear end upon one of the cross-bars c, and at the sides it bears upon the inclined upper faces of the side frames, while in its reversed or tilted position the forward portion is likewise supported upon the adjacent cross-bar and upon the upper sides of the frames a a.

A bail m on the close-'d end of the body serves as a means for conveniently tilting the latter to discharge the load.

The handle C is made, preferably, of gaspipe,theends cbeingformedinto eyes,through which the threaded ends of the cross-bar d are passed, nuts upon the bar ends securing the handle to the frame and staples or keepers l locking the handle against independent movement.

The arrangement of the intermediate runner b,befor`e referred to, is important, in that it provides a central support for the truck and prevents either of the outer runners from sinking into the cracks or openings between adjacent cakes of ice, thereby at all times permitting the attendant to move the truck around over the ice with ease and facility.

It will beseen that by constructing the runner or side frames of T or angle iron a very strong, rigid, and comparatively light structure is obtained, the web portion of the bar affording a convenient bearing-surface to which the other parts may be secured, while the body ofthe bar is well suited for the bearing-face of the runners.

, In the use of the device the superior weight of the closed end of the body causes the latter to automatically right itself after being IOO tilted forward, the tilting being effected by grasping the bail m and raising` the rear end of the body until the load passes out of the open end.

I claim- 1. In a sleigh-truck, the combination, with the carrying-frame consisting of the side runner-frames and the intermediate runner, of a body pivoted upon said side frames, and a handle, substantially as described.

2. In a sleigh-truck, the combination, with the carrying-frame having triangular-shaped sides, of a body pivoted to the apex of said sides and normally resting upon one inclined face of the latter, substantially as described.

3. In a sleigh-truck, the combination, with the carrying-frame having triangular-shaped side portions, of a tilting1 body mounted on said side portions at the apex thereof and pro- HERMAN F. DERNELL. Titnessesz W. S. PERINE, L. L. DAUs. 

